Shawnee, Hidden Hills Recognized by Zagat Survey

The recently released biennial Zagat Survey listing "America's Top Golf Courses" includes both Hideaway Hills Golf Club and Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort, according to the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

"It's an honor to have two of our courses distinguished as elite courses in the country," said Carl Wilgus, president and CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. "While Shawnee and Hideaway Hills are exemplary layouts and worthy of praise, we're blessed with dozens of wonderful courses that meet and exceed the needs of avid golfers."

Shawnee has a rich history in the game of golf, having hosted the 1983 PGA Championship won by Paul Runyan and the 1967 NCAA Championship.Shawnee was also the home course for the legendary Sam Snead and the place where the great Arnold Palmer met his wife, Winnie.

Completed in 1911, Shawnee is an original A.W. Tillinghast design featuring 27 holes of golf, 24 of which are located on a private island, highlighted by magnificent trees, picturesque mountains and a beautiful river. The golf facility is also home to a nine-hole lighted course for evening play.

Hideaway Hills and Shawnee are two of the many courses that comprise the Pocono Mountains: Discover Golf's Great Destination Secret cooperative - a partnership of championship courses that range from challenging layouts to test the best golfer to alternatives that are both economical and more accommodating for the less-experienced players.

With hundreds of holes of golf from which to choose, the four-county destination offers layouts from the Golden Age of golf course design to expansive tracks from well-respected contemporary architects. From Tillinghast and Donald Ross to Jack Nicklaus, some of the most respected names in the business have forever placed their fingerprint on the Pocono Mountains.

Off the golf course, three rivers and countless streams allow for outdoor water activities such as fishing, kayaking and white water rafting, while sporting clays, biking, horseback riding, camping and hiking are plentiful. In addition, snow boarding, downhill and cross country skiing are just a few of the popular winter activities available in the Pocono Mountains.

Information about golf in the Pocono Mountains is available on www.Poconosgolf.com. For more information on the area, visit www.800poconos.com or call 800-POCONOS (800-762-6667).

Among the most thorough rating guides in all of golf, Zagat covers 1,149 of the best courses in the United States, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Courses in the guide are rated based on the responses of more than 6,054 reviewers who play more than 640,000 rounds annually. Strength of layout, value, overall quality, facility and service standards are taken into consideration.